Centre Manager – Nextgen Montessori Western Suburbs

Accounts NextGen; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Nextgen Montessori is expanding in Melbourne’s Western Suburbs and seeks an experienced Centre Manager to lead day-to-day operations, implement Montessori philosophy, and drive a supportive, high-performance team culture. You will work with educational leadership to ensure quality outcomes for children and strong community engagement.

The role requires confident leadership, regulatory knowledge, and dedication to continuous improvement within a Montessori environment.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership of early childhood teams.
• Strong people-management and communication skills.
• Knowledge of EYLF, NQS, Child Safe Standards and relevant regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and support educators and the centre leadership team.
• Build a positive, professional and collaborative workplace culture.
• Manage recruitment, onboarding, rostering, performance and professional development.
• Maintain strong staff engagement, accountability and communication.
• Oversee effective day-to-day operation of the centre.
• Ensure compliance with National Law, Regulations, NQS and Child Safe Standards.
• Lead preparation for compliance visits and Assessment & Rating.
• Engage confidently with the Department of Education and regulatory bodies.
• Maintain appropriate staffing levels, ratios and rostering.
• Embed Montessori philosophy with Educational Leader and educators.
• Support high-quality programs aligned with EYLF, NQS and Montessori principles.
• Promote reflective practice and continuous professional learning.
• Build strong relationships with children, families and the local community.
• Maintain open communication with families and respond to feedback.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Communication skills

EYLF/NQS knowledge

Education

Diploma/Advanced Diploma/Bachelor in Early Childhood Education and Care

Job description

Western Suburbs, Melbourne, Australia | Posted on 10/22/2026

Followingtheoverwhelmingresponsetoourfirstpurpose-builtMontessoricentreinTruganina,NextgenMontessoriis

continuingitsgrowthwithournextcentreinMelbourne’sWesternSuburbs,openinginDecember2026.

WearelookingforanexperiencedandpassionateCentreManagertoleadthecentre,buildastrongteamandculture,and

bringtheNextgenMontessoriphilosophytothecommunityinMelbourne’sWesternSuburbs.Thisisanopportunitytodo

morethanmanageacentre—youwillplayakeyroleinshapingitsfuture.

TheRole

AsCentreManager,youwillhaveoverallresponsibilityfortheleadership,day-to-dayoperations,complianceand

performanceofthecentre.

WorkingcloselywiththeNextgenMontessorimanagementandeducationalleadershipteams,youwillleadthe

implementationofourculture,systems,standardsandMontessoriphilosophywhilecreatinganenvironmentwhere

educatorsfeelsupported,accountableandmotivatedtodeliverhigh-qualityoutcomesforchildren.

KeyResponsibilities

Leadership&TeamCulture

• Lead,mentorandsupporteducatorsandthecentreleadershipteam.
• Buildapositive,professionalandcollaborativeworkplaceculture.
• Managerecruitment,onboarding,rostering,performancemanagementandprofessionaldevelopment.
• Maintainstrongstaffengagement,accountabilityandcommunication.

Operations&Compliance

• Overseeeffectiveday-to-dayoperationofthecentre.
• MaintainhighstandardsofcompliancewiththeEducationandCareServicesNationalLawandRegulations,National
• QualityFramework,NationalQualityStandardandChildSafeStandards.
• Ensurepolicies,proceduresandoperationalstandardsareconsistentlyimplemented.
• LeadpreparationforcompliancevisitsandtheAssessmentandRatingprocess.
• ConfidentlyengagewiththeDepartmentofEducationandotherrelevantregulatorybodies.
• Maintainappropriatestaffinglevels,ratiosandeffectiverostermanagement.

EducationalLeadership

• WorkcloselywiththeEducationalLeaderandeducatorstoembedtheNextgenMontessorieducationalphilosophy.
• Supporthigh-qualityeducationalprogramsalignedwiththeEYLF,NQSandMontessoriprinciples.
• Promotereflectivepractice,continuousimprovementandprofessionallearning.

Families,Enrolments&CentrePerformance

• Buildstrongandrespectfulrelationshipswithchildren,familiesandthelocalcommunity.
• Maintainopenandeffectivecommunicationwithfamiliesandrespondprofessionallytofeedbackandconcerns.
• Overseeenquiries,centretours,enrolments,orientationsandwaitlists.
• Driveoccupancyandsupportsustainablecentregrowth.
• Monitorkeycentreperformanceindicatorsandidentifyopportunitiesforimprovement.
• Overseecentreadministration,CCSrequirements,parentstatementsandaccounts.

AboutYou

Wearelookingforaconfidentearlychildhoodleaderwhocombinesstrongoperationalknowledgewithexcellentpeople

andcommunicationskills.

• DemonstratedexperienceasaCentreManager,CentreDirector,AssistantManager/2ICorseniorleaderwithinearlychildhoodeducationandcare.
• Strongleadershipandpeople-managementskills.
• ThoroughknowledgeoftheNationalLawandRegulations,NQF,NQS,EYLFandChildSafeStandards.
• Experiencewithcentreoperations,compliance,staffing,rostering,enrolmentsandfamilyrelationships.
• ConfidenceworkingwiththeDepartmentofEducationandpreparingforAssessmentandRating.
• Strongorganisational,administrativeandfinancialmanagementskills.
• Excellentcommunicationandrelationship-buildingskills.
• Aproactiveandsolutions-focusedapproachtoleadership.
• Acommitmenttohigh-qualityearlychildhoodeducationandcontinuousimprovement.

PreviousMontessoriexperienceishighlyregardedbutisnotessential.Whatmattersisyourwillingnesstoembracethe

MontessoriphilosophyandyourabilitytoleadandsupportyourteamindeliveringtheNextgenMontessoriapproach.

Requirements

Qualifications&Requirements

• Diploma,AdvancedDiplomaorBachelorqualificationinEarlyChildhoodEducationandCare,oranotherapproved